Why Do My Teeth Look So Short?

Around 2% of Americans have microdontia (short-looking teeth) today.  Most people have a group of short-looking teeth. It’s rarer to have a full mouth of short teeth. 

At Tenth Street Family Dental, we specialize in two things in our Indianapolis, Indiana, office: optimizing your oral health and helping you get a great-looking smile. That’s why our team excels at treating short-looking teeth. We delve into the “whys” and use that information to create a brand new plan to beautifully balance your smile.

Everyone wants a beautiful smile for summer, so July is a common time for patients to ask about short teeth, why they happen, and what solutions exist. This month’s blog covers the reasons for microdontia and also addresses the options for restoring your smile. 

Reasons your teeth look short

There are a number of reasons that teeth can look shorter than normal. 

Teeth grinding 

Although your tooth enamel is incredibly strong, it can’t stand up to severe wear over a long period of time. We often see microdontia in patients who grind their teeth while sleeping. 

When the tooth enamel rubs and grinds together, it eventually breaks down and shortens the overall surface of the teeth.

People with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) may clench and grind their teeth due to jaw locking and tightness. But, the reverse is also true: If you grind your teeth, you’re more likely to develop TMJ. 

Gum overgrowth

Your teeth might look shorter than they really are if you have excessive gum tissue. This problem is sometimes called a “gummy smile.” 

The reason for gum tissue overgrowth is often as simple as genetics. The American Academy of Oral Medicine explains that it can also happen due to poor oral hygiene, medication, hormone imbalance, or pregnancy. 

GERD

Some medical conditions may affect the health of your tooth enamel, leading to its erosion. For example, people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) experience acid reflux multiple times a week. 

With acid reflux, stomach acids flow the wrong way, moving up into your throat and mouth. Stomach acids are very strong and can essentially attack tooth enamel to cause its breakdown. In fact, the American Dental Association cites a systematic review, which shows that an average of 32.5% of adults with GERD experience tooth enamel erosion. 

There are also other possible causes of microdontia, such as pituitary dwarfism, Rieger anomaly, and oro-faciodigital syndrome.

At Tenth Street Family Dental, our team gathers information through an oral exam, medical history, and discussion with you to help determine what causes are relevant in your case. 

Short teeth? Here’s how we can repair your smile 

If you have short teeth, we have solutions at Tenth Street Family Dental. We start with treatment of underlying causes. For example, if your teeth look short due to gum inflammation and a lack of oral hygiene, you might simply need a teeth cleaning and checkup to calm your irritated gums and restore your appearance. 

If your teeth are worn down, we can take a few paths based on your personal needs and the root cause. Some of our most popular solutions for short teeth are veneers (fit onto the front of the tooth) and crowns (fit over the entire tooth). 

For gum tissue overgrowth, we may recommend an in-office procedure, laser gum contouring, which helps to reshape your gum line. The procedure lengthens the look of your teeth, reducing the amount of gum that others see when you smile. 

Use the online contact feature, or call our Indianapolis, Indiana, office to schedule a consultation and explore your options for smile enhancement.